Authorities say Madbury teen murdered in Granite State

MADBURY — Authorities identified the body of the young man found stabbed to death in Maine Saturday afternoon as that of Aaron Wilkinson, 18, who was reported missing from his Madbury home by his father Saturday morning.

Investigators believe Wilkinson was murdered in New Hampshire, but won’t say where they think the crime occurred. No arrests have been made.“It’s a very sad and frightening situation; we all have children,” neighbor Cathy Acerra said Monday while standing in her driveway.

“I’m very sad and sorry for the family,” Acerra said of the Wilkinsons, who live nearby at 36 Evans Road. Acerra, who has lived in the neighborhood for 27 years and knows Wilkinson and his father, Paul, said the death has shaken the quiet neighborhood.

After Wilkinson’s father reported him missing to Madbury police Saturday, New Hampshire State Police were notified and called in their Major Crime Unit investigators.

Later that day, a woman walking on Long Swamp Road in Lebanon, Maine, discovered Wilkinson’s body about 4 p.m.

An autopsy revealed Wilkinson suffered stab wounds; his death was ruled a homicide.

New Hampshire authorities are the lead investigators and prosecutors in the case because the crime occurred in New Hampshire, Senior Assistant Attorney General Jeffery A. Strelzin said. Strelzin would not say if police have located a crime scene. Police were searching the Wilkinson home at 36 Evans Road Sunday.

Strelzin would not discuss whether a weapon or any other evidence has been recovered, if authorities have a suspect or believe an arrest is imminent.

“The case is being worked actively by New Hampshire and Maine authorities and this is a constant, ongoing process,” said Strelzin, who is New Hampshire’s lead homicide prosecutor.

Strelzin would not say if investigators believe Aaron Wilkinson knew his attacker.

Asked if he believes the public to be at risk, Strelzin said, “we don’t have any specific information that leads us to believe the public is at risk. However, whenever there is a homicide and an arrest has not been made, we advise people to use caution and consider that.”

Other neighbors of Aaron Wilkinson described him as a quiet teen who usually kept to himself. One neighbor said he loved to skateboard and could be seen riding his skateboard along the tree-lined streets of the subdivision.

“This world has lost a fantastic soul,” Jes Rose Twombley posted on Facebook. “He was one of the most optimistic, good-hearted, genuinely kind, amazing people I have ever met. We didn’t always stay in touch but when we did it didn’t matter. We were always a phone call away from each other and we knew it. We had our issues at times but we didn’t care. That was who Aaron Wilkinson was. Nothin mattered if you were happy... And he always was... I wish I could’ve been there for you, kid ... Love you always.”